Global solidarity for the NHS

Solidarity measures are flooding in for our rally for the NHS from trade union movements on every one of the five continents (see the messages from Belgium, Canada, Ghana, Hong Kong and New Zealand). The British National Health Service is renowned around the world, and looked up to in many countries. So when they heard what the coalition Government was planning to do, it wasn’t very long before our sisters and brothers started telling us how much they support the NHS, and how they back our fight to keep it public.

First off the mark were the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

“In the middle of an unprecedented crisis of unemployment and mindless austerity measures by your Government you face yet another attack on essential services for all citizens. The private sector’s involvement in public services is also problematic in terms of governance and transparency. Experience shows that private companies have invested too little and got back too much out of the so-called public-private partnerships.”

Bernadette Segol, General Secretary of the ETUC added:

“The ETUC stands in solidarity with health workers and patients in the UK rallying to save the NHS on 7 March.

“There is no evidence that ‘private is best’, in fact competition is likely to hit hardest those in society who need these services the most. At the same time as this huge reorganisation and provatisation, the NHS is facing huge cuts, like other public services in Europe. In this time of austerity it is simply unacceptable that the price of the crisis is borne by the workers and the users of such vital services as health and social care.

“The ETUC says ‘enough is enough’. There is an alternative.”

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I’ve been the Head of the TUC’s European Union and International Relations Department since 2003 and have worked at the TUC since 1984. I’ve been a member of the Health and Safety Commission, the Civil Justice Council, the Social Security Advis…